be to slay a Cabinet Minister. But neither the Premier nor any of the
Secretaries of State happened to be abroad at that hour.

Our walk down Whitehall proving uneventful, the madman next suggested
that we should "try the Houses of Parliament." Here the position seemed
more dangerous. The House of Commons could not have long adjourned--it
was in the days of late sittings--and it was quite possible that some
belated M.P. might be on his way home.

Presently, indeed, my companion made a remark that filled me with
horror.

"That looks like one," he said. "Now steady."

An elderly, respectable-looking gentleman was approaching us, walking
alone from the direction of the House, and my terrible associate was
standing under a lamp-post still with his hand in his pocket.

[Illustration: "THAT LOOKS LIKE ONE."]

My presence of mind together with my faculty of invention, here happily
came to my aid.

"Stay," I whispered; "mind what you are about, or you will make a
mistake. That is not a member of Parliament. I know him by sight but not
to speak to. He is a retail grocer who keeps a shop in Oxford Street."

"Are you quite sure?"

"Quite."

And so the elderly stranger passed us, little guessing what a narrow
escape he had had.

The position was truly appalling. Now we neared the Royal Academy, at
that time still situated in Trafalgar Square, and my would-be murderer
muttered something about "picking off" an R.A. or an Associate. The
wretched creature seemed well up in honorary titles. Next we wandered
along the Strand, and he thought of destroying a distinguished actor,
but the theatrical profession had doubtless long since gone to bed.
Thank goodness he had not gone far into the heart of Clubland, or he
might have found there a victim worthy of his murderous weapon.

On, on he led me, past Temple Bar, not without an eye for wandering
Judges and Queen's Counsel. Fortunately, at that hour, it was now about
four a.m., the newspapers had all gone to press, and there were no
eminent journalists about. Then he came to St. Paul's, and talked about
archbishops, bishops and canons, and I almost laughed at the idea of our
meeting a Church dignitary abroad at such a time.

Finally, we got into the heart of the City, and here I felt safe if he
had any designs on the Directors of the Bank of England or members of
the Stock Exchange.

It was in the middle of the deserted road opposite the Mansion House
that he stopped at la